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Clinical Trials/NCT04144647
NCT04144647UnknownNot Applicable

The Relationship Between Dual-task Gait Performance, Physical Activity Levels, Sleep and Aging in Healthy Adults

King's College London1 site in 1 country100 target enrollmentStarted: February 25, 2019Last updated:
Conditions
Interventions

Trial Snapshot

Phase
Not Applicable
Enrollment
100
Locations
1
Primary Endpoint
Functional Gait Assessment

Study Overview

Brief Summary

The co-ordination and control of body segments are integral in providing and maintaining postural stability. It is widely accepted that attentional demands for postural control are placed upon the individual, but these vary according to the nature of the task, the age of the individual and their postural stability. It is thought that divided attention (a technique whereby two tasks are performed at the same time whilst rapidly switching attention between the two tasks) is commonly used when multi-tasking. Divided attention may have important clinical implications to falls risk, in that older adults that experience falls have increased difficulty in switching attention between tasks such as walking and talking. Dual tasking paradigms which present postural and cognitive tasks are often used to test attentional demands for posture control and interference between the two tasks. At present it is not known what impact balance confidence, sleep, activity levels or cognitive ability impact on a person's ability to multi-task when performing complex walking tasks that reflect the complexity of mobilising in real-life situations.

Detailed Description

The co-ordination and control of body segments are integral in providing and maintaining postural stability. It is widely accepted that attentional demands for postural control are placed upon the individual, but these vary according to the nature of the task, the age of the individual and their postural stability. It is thought that divided attention (a technique whereby two tasks are performed at the same time whilst rapidly switching attention between the two tasks) is commonly used when multi-tasking. Divided attention may have important clinical implications to falls risk, in that older adults that experience falls have increased difficulty in switching attention between tasks such as walking and talking. Dual tasking paradigms which present postural and cognitive tasks are often used to test attentional demands for posture control and interference between the two tasks. At present it is not known what impact balance confidence, sleep, activity levels or cognitive ability impact on a person's ability to multi-task when performing complex walking tasks that reflect the complexity of mobilising in real-life situations.

The proposed study aims to investigate, in healthy adults aged between 18-80 years old, a) the effect of combining functional gait tasks with different types of dual-tasks and cognitive task categories on total Functional Gait Assessment (FGA) score (primary task), and task prioritisation; b) the relationship between FGA single and dual task performance, age, sleep and PA levels; c) the relationship between age, balance confidence, psychological symptoms and sleep with functional gait single and dual task performance, cognitive function, quality of life and PA levels.

Principle Research Questions:

  • What is the effect of dual-task type and/or cognitive task category on FGA performance (primary task), gait speed and task prioritisation?
  • What is the relationship between age, balance confidence, psychological symptoms, quality of life and sleep with FGA single and dual task performance, cognitive function and PA levels in healthy adults?

Hypothesis:

Study Design

Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
Na
Intervention Model
Single Group
Primary Purpose
Screening
Masking
None

Masking Description

This is a simple case-controlled study of physiotherapy assessments. It doe snot include masking procedures.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages
18 Years to 80 Years (Adult, Older Adult)
Sex
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Inclusion Criteria

  • •community-dwelling healthy adults
  • •aged 18-80 years old
  • •independently mobile.

Exclusion Criteria

  • •Individuals have a central nervous system disorder vestibular disorder and/or acute orthopaedic/musculoskeletal disorder affecting balance control and/or gait
  • •individuals with lack of a good grasp of written and spoken English language.

Arms & Interventions

Healthy adults 18-80 years old

Experimental

Healthy adults 18-80 years old

Intervention: Single testing session (Other)

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Functional Gait Assessment

Time Frame: 5 minutes

The primary outcome is the Functional Gait Assessment which is a 10-item test that assesses performance on complex gait tasks (i.e. walking with head turns, stepping over an obstacle or stopping and turning). Scores range from 0 to 30. The highest score is 30 and greater outcomes are indicative of better performance while lower scores are indicative of poorer performance. The Functional Gait Assessment has been validated in healthy people, older adults with a history of falls and balance impairments, and people with a vestibular disorder. The minimal detectable change for Functional Gait Assessment is reported to be 6 points in persons with balance and vestibular disorders. Scores ≤22/30 identify fall risk and are predictable of falls in community-living older persons within 6 months.

Secondary Outcomes

  • Functional Gait Dual-Task Test(30 minutes)
  • Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery(45 minutes)
  • Standard pure tone audiometry(10 minutes)
  • Situational Vertigo Questionnaire(3 minutes)
  • Speech in Babble Test(10 minutes)
  • Activity-specific Balance Confidence Scale(3 minutes)
  • Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale(3 minutes)
  • Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(3 minutes)
  • EQ-5D-5L(3 minutes)
  • Dizziness Handicap Inventory(3 minutes)
  • Cognitive and Behavioural Symptom Questionnaire(3 minutes)
  • Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test(5 minutes)
  • Axivity Wrist Band 3-Axis logging accelerometer(7 days)
  • Epworth Sleepiness Scale(3 minutes)

Investigators

Sponsor Class
Other
Responsible Party
Sponsor

Study Sites (1)

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